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Matthew 3

Calling of John                                                    verse 1- 3 

In those days came John the Baptist

preaching in the wilderness of Judea

and saying

Repent you – for the kingdom of heaven is at hand

FOR this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias

saying

The voice of one crying in the wilderness

            Prepare you the way of the Lord

make HIS paths straight 

Lifestyle of John                                                  verse 4 

AND the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair

and a leathern girdle about his loins

      AND his meat was locusts and wild honey 

Congregation of John                                          verse 5- 6 

THEN went out to him Jerusalem and – and all Judea

and all the region round about Jordan

and were baptized of him in Jordan

CONFESSING their sins 

Message of John to Pharisees                              verse 7- 10 

BUT WHEN he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees

come to his baptism

he said unto them – O generation of vipers

            Who has warned you to flee from  the wrath to come?

                        Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance

                                    and think not to say within yourselves

            We have Abraham to our fathers – for I say unto you

                        that God is able of these stones to raise up

children unto Abraham

AND now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees

            THEREFORE every tree which brings

not forth good fruit is hewn down

and cast into the fire 

Announcement of John                                       verse 11- 12 

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance

BUT HE that comes after me is mightier than I

                        whose shoes I am not worthy to bear

            HE shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire

                        whose fan is in HIS hand

                                    and HE will thoroughly purge HIS floor

                                                and gather HIS wheat into the garner

            BUT HE will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire 

Jesus goes to be baptized of John                        verse 13- 14 

THEN come Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John

to be baptized of him

BUT John forbade him

saying

I have need to be baptized of YOU and come YOU to me? 

Jesus gives reason for baptism                             verse 15 

AND Jesus answering said unto him

            Suffer it to be so now

for thus it becomes us to fulfill

all righteousness

THEN he suffered HIM 

Godhead present at baptism                               verse 16- 17 

AND Jesus – when He was baptized

went up straightway out of the water

AND – lo – the heavens were opened unto HIM

and HE saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

                        and lighting upon HIM

AND lo a voice from heaven saying

            This is MY beloved Son

in whom I am well-pleased 

COMMENTARY:           

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers 

: 2        And saying, Repent you: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (3340 “Repent” [matanoeo] means change one’s mind, to have a change of self, abandon former dispositions, new behavior, or to reconsider.)

DEVOTION:  Good Biblical preaching is necessary today. John started preaching six months before Jesus came to him to be baptized. Remember that John the Baptist was a cousin to Jesus. He was from a family who were from the tribe of Levi. His father was a High Priest.

So he was brought up to understand the message of the Old Testament with the promises of a coming Messiah. His mother was visited by Mary the mother of Jesus while he was still in the womb. When Mary entered the house, he jumped in the womb because he realized who was in the womb of Mary. Babies in the womb are real people too.

Now he is out preaching a message that God gave him. The first word out of his mouth was “Repent.” What were they to repent? They were to repent of their sin. That was the start of a life with the Creator of the Universe. Without repentance it is impossible to have a true relationship with the LORD.

The Jews were not born into a proper relationship with the LORD and neither are we. Our family can’t give us salvation. Baptism can’t give us salvation. There is only one way and that is through Jesus Christ.

Most people reject the idea that they are sinners. So they will never turn to the LORD. It is sad but true. Only those who repent and turn to the LORD will spend eternity in heaven. The rest of humanity will reject the message and spend eternity in the lake of fire that has an unquenchable fire.

CHALLENGE: First we need to keep short accounts with the LORD. Then we need to warn other believers to do the same. Finally, we have to warn those without Christ to become believers before it is too late!! 

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers 

: 6        And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. (1843 “confessing” [exomologeo] means to profess, acknowledge openly and joyfully, thank, admit or promise)

DEVOTION:  The book of Malachi predicted the coming of John the Baptist. He was to be the forerunner of the Messiah. We find out in the New Testament that he was a cousin of Jesus. Mary and his mother were sisters. So we have a family relationship between the two of them.

Now John has started his ministry and takes the garb of a prophet. He was six months older than Christ. People come to here him preach. His message is simple: Acknowledge that they are sinners. Once they make this decision, they can be baptized into a new group of people. This group were the ones who made up the church later.

The Pharisees came to hear him and thought that they didn’t need to acknowledge their sin. They thought that because they were Israelites, they were the chosen people of God and would therefore go to heaven no matter what happened. They were wrong and John told them that they were wrong.

The surprise in this chapter was that the LORD came to John to be baptized. HE didn’t have to confess sin because HE was sinless. Why was HE baptized? To set an example and HE stated to fulfill Scripture. Everything that Christ did while HE was on this this earth fulfilled the Scripture regarding HIS first coming. PTL. The Bible is true.

We have to admit that we are sinners before we can become a follower of Christ.  Once we have become a follower we need to share the message like John did in his day. One way that we can present the truth regarding the condition of man is through the Ten Commandments. Each one of us knows that we have broken the Ten Commandments. John had to confront the religious leaders of his day – the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They thought that being religious was enough to get them into heaven. They thought that because they were of the bloodline of Abraham they were on their way to heaven. John told them that neither was going to get them into heaven. They had to repent of their sins and turn to God. They didn’t think that was necessary.

Christ preached to the same group and they still didn’t think they were sinners and needed to repent. We find that today there are people who think they are OK and don’t need to repent of their sins. The Bible tells us that John was right and the rest were on their way to the lake of fire for eternity. There are only two directions that anyone can go for eternity – heaven or the lake of fire. We need to present them with this truth and ask for a decision. John did!!!

CHALLENGE: Confession is necessary for salvation. Confession is necessary for proper fellowship with the LORD. Our relationship to the LORD depends on our prayer life and growth in the LORD. It was this relationship which John’s baptism demanded (cf. 21:32), and which now requires Jesus to identify himself with the penitent people of God in order to fulfil his mission.

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: 7        But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to HIS baptism, HE said to them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (2191 “vipers” [echidna] means poisonous snake, evil person, to be cunning, malignant, or wicked person.)

DEVOTION:  Is it good to call people names? The answer is no, not usually. Here we have the prophet John calling the false religious teachers a name. The name was “viper.” This is probably a reference to the first temptation in the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve were given instructions from the LORD. HE only gave one negative command. They were not to eat of the tree in the middle of the Garden. It was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The serpent, the devil, tempted Eve into looking at the tree and wanting the tree. The devil questioned God’s instructions. He told Eve that God really didn’t say they couldn’t eat of the tree. He gave the reason that God was afraid they would be as smart as HIM. It was a lie but Eve believed the lie. She shared the fruit with Adam. Both were disobedient and tried to hide from the LORD. Remember that the LORD is omniscient and no one can hide from HIM.

The Pharisees were teaching people that they didn’t have to repent of their sins. They only had to come to the temple with sacrifice and obey their religious traditions and they would go to heaven because they were descendants of Abraham. That was all that was necessary. They were wrong. They were leading those who were listening to them in the wrong direction and were making them twofold more a child of hell then themselves.

True Biblical teachers need to warn of false teachers even today. Many who are pastors in churches are not teaching the truth of the Word of God on purpose. It is not an accident. They don’t believe the Bible and don’t want others to believe the Bible.

CHALLENGE: Don’t listen to our generations “generation of vipers.”

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

          : 15         And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness. The he suffered him. (863 “suffer” [aphiemi] means to permit, allow, not to hinder, yield up, or to let go.)

DEVOTION:  Jesus was about to begin HIS earthly ministry. HE was thirty years old which is when a man can become a rabbi and teach those who will listen. HE came to John who had established himself as a prophet of God. He was baptizing people who were willing to repent of their sins. He was one who confronted the Pharisees because they were not genuine followers of the LORD. They were religious but not right with God and were teaching others to be religious but not right with God. He called them a generation of vipers or snakes.

Jesus came to him to be baptized but it wasn’t for repentance because HE was sinless. HE was God in the flesh. HE came to John to identify with him. HE identified with his message. HE was about to begin preaching the same message with HIS twelve disciples in training.

HE was doing everything right in the eyes of HIS Father. HE was fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah. HE came to die for our sins. HE was baptized by John the Baptist because HE set the example of all of us to identify with the LORD.

Our identity with Christ is necessary through a step of obedience called baptism. Once we identify with the LORD Jesus Christ in baptism, we need to serve HIM to the best of our ability with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Christ gave us a perfect example to follow but the Father knows that we will not be sinless like HIS Son but HE expects us to confess our sin daily and HE has promised to forgive our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness to keep us in fellowship with HIM.

Our salvation is sure because of the cross but our fellowship is a daily activity that needs a close walk with the LORD. Genuine believers have a daily goal to be obedient to the LORD.

CHALLENGE: John didn’t want to baptize Jesus but once he was given the opportunity he obeyed. The LORD will give us opportunities to serve HIM we should be willing to obey to.

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH: 

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone) 

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God) 

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis) 

                            John the Baptist preached confession of sin           verse 6 

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible) 

                        Spoken by the prophet Esaias                                     verse 3

                        Fulfil all righteousness                                                 verse 15 

God the Father (First person of the Godhead) 

                     Wrath to come                                                                verse 7

                     Father spoke from heaven regarding HIS son               verse 17

                      Well pleased with Jesus                                                 verse 17 

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah) 

Lord                                                                                verse 3

Mightier than John                                                       verse 11

Baptize with Holy Ghost                                               verse 11

Baptize with fire                                                            verse 11

Gather HIS converts                                                     verse 12

Jesus                                                                              verse 13, 15, 16

Baptized of John                                                           verse 13- 16

Beloved Son                                                                  verse 17 

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter) 

                       Baptize with the Holy Ghost                                       verse 11

Spirit of God descending like a dove                           verse 16 

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God) 

God                                                                               verse 9           

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

                          Sin                                                                             verse 6

                        Pharisees                                                                    verse 7

                        Sadducees                                                                  verse 7

                        Generation of vipers                                                  verse 7

                        Not bring forth fruit                                                  verse 10 

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins) 

Preaching                                                                     verse 1

Repent                                                                         verse 1, 3, 8

Prophet                                                                        verse 2

Repentance                                                                  verse 2, 8, 11

Prepare the way of the LORD                                      verse 3

Paths straight                                                               verse 3

Baptism                                                                        verse 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 16

Confession of sin necessary for salvation                  verse 6

Fruits meet for repentance                                         verse 8

Good fruit                                                                    verse 10

Baptism of the Holy Ghost                                         verse 11

Baptism with fire                                                        verse 11

Purge                                                                          verse 12

Righteousness                                                            verse 15 

Israel (Old Testament people of God) 

John the Baptist                                                         verse 1- 13

Wilderness of Judaea                                                verse 1, 5

Prophet Esaias (Elijah)                                               verse 3

Jerusalem                                                                   verse 5

Pharisees                                                                    verse 7

Sadducees                                                                  verse 7

Abraham                                                                    verse 9

Galilee to Jordan                                                       verse 13

John wanted to be baptized by Jesus                      verse 14 

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events) 

Wrath to come                                                          verse 7

Cast into the fire                                                       verse 10

Chaff in unquenchable fire                                      verse 12

 

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QUOTES regarding passage

Fulfil is used mainly of Jesus’ relation to the predictions and patterns of the Old Testament (see on 5:17); a paraphrase such as ‘bring to reality’ or ‘accomplish’ indicates its essential meaning for Matthew

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It was this relationship which John’s baptism demanded (cf. 21:32), and which now requires Jesus to identify himself with the penitent people of God in order to fulfil his mission.  (France, R. T. (1985). Vol. 1: Matthew: An introduction and commentary. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (99–100). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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3:15 Jesus’ somewhat ambiguous reply seems to acknowledge the force of John’s logic but nevertheless requests baptism for different reasons. Jesus has not come to confess any sin but “to fulfill all righteousness.” He has previously fulfilled specific prophecies as well as more general scriptural themes. Now he wishes to obey all the moral demands of God’s will. “To fulfill all righteousness” means to complete everything that forms part of a relationship of obedience to God. In so doing, Jesus identifies with and endorses John’s ministry as divinely ordained and his message as one to be heeded. (Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 81). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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3:15. Jesus’ response to John was that it was fitting for Him to take part in John’s baptism at this time in order to fulfill all righteousness. What did Jesus mean? The Law included no requirements about baptism, so Jesus could not have had in view anything pertaining to Levitical righteousness. But John’s message was a message of repentance, and those experiencing it were looking forward to a coming Messiah who would be righteous and who would bring in righteousness. If Messiah were to provide righteousness for sinners, He must be identified with sinners. It was therefore in the will of God for Him to be baptized by John in order to be identified (the real meaning of the word “baptized”) with sinners. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 25). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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3:15 it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Christ was here identifying Himself with sinners. He will ultimately bear their sins; His perfect righteousness will be imputed to them (2Co 5:21). This act of baptism was a necessary part of the righteousness He secured for sinners. This first public event of His ministry is also rich in meaning: 1) it pictured His death and resurrection (cf. Lk 12:50); 2) it therefore prefigured the significance of Christian baptism (see note on v. 6); 3) it marked His first public identification with those whose sins He would bear (Is 53:11; 1Pe 3:18); and 4) it was a public affirmation of His messiahship by testimony directly from heaven (see note on v. 17). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Mt 3:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

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A.   Jesus and John (vv. 13–15).

Why was the sinless Son of God baptized? We suggest six reasons:

1. Obligation—“to fulfill all righteousness” (cf. John 8:29).

2. Consecration—the OT priest was washed, then anointed. Jesus submitted to water baptism, then the Holy Spirit came as a dove. See Ex. 29.

3. Commendation—Jesus gave His approval of John’s ministry and thus obligated the people to listen to John and obey him. Instead, the religious leaders rejected John’s baptism (21:23–27).

4. Proclamation—this was John’s official introduction of Jesus to the Jewish nation. See John 1:31.

5. Anticipation—this water baptism looked forward to His baptism of suffering for us on the cross (Luke 12:50). Jesus fulfilled all righteousness through His sacrificial death on Calvary.

6. Identification—Jesus identified Himself with sinful men. Immediately after, the Spirit drove Him into the wilderness. There may be here a picture of the “scapegoat” that symbolically carried the nation’s sins into the wilderness (Lev. 16:1–10).

The Gk. word baptizo means “to dip, to immerse,” and John required “much water” for his baptism (John 3:23). All the waves and billows of God’s wrath were experienced by Jesus on the cross. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (pp. 20–21). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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15. ἀποκριθείς] Bp. Wordsworth remarks, on this, the first occurrence of this very common form, that it is stigmatized by the grammarians as a solecism. The passage is in Phrynichus, Eclog. ed. Lobeck, p. 108,—ἀποκριθῆναι διττὸν ἁμάρτημα. ἔδει γὰρ λέγειν ἀποκρίνασθαι, καὶ εἰδέναι ὅτι τὸ διαχωρισθῆναι σημαίνει, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τὸ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ, τὸ συγκριθῆναι, εἰς ἓν καὶ ταὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν. εἰδὼς οὖν τοῦτο, ἐπὶ μὲν τὸ ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ἐπερώτησιν, ἀποκρίνεσθαι λέγε, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ διαχωρισθῆναι, τὸ ἀποκριθῆναι.

ἄρτι] The exact meaning is difficult. It cannot well be that which the E. V. at first sight gives, that something was to be done now, inconsistent with the actual and hereafter-to-be-manifested relation of the two persons. Rather—‘though what has been said (ver. 14) is true, yet the time is not come for that:as yet, ἄρτι, now, are we in another relation (viz. our Lord as the fulfiller of the law, John as a minister of it), therefore suffer it.’ So Chrysostom: οὐ διηνεκῶς ταῦτα ἔσται, ἀλλʼ ὄψει με ἐν τούτοις οἷς ἐπιθυμεῖς· ἄρτι μέντοι ὑπόμεινον τοῦτο (Hom. xii. 1, p. 161), ‘This ἄρτι is spoken from the Lord’s foreknowledge, that this relation of subjection to John was only temporary, and that hereafter their relative situations would be inverted.’ Meyer. Stier remarks (Reden Jesu, vol. i. p. 14, edn. 2), that now was fulfilled the prophetic announcement of Ps. 40:7, 8.

ἡμῖν] not for μοί, but for μοὶ καὶ σοί. I cannot help thinking that this word glances at the relationship and previous acknowledged destinations of the speakers. It has however a wider sense, as spoken by Him who is now first coming forth officially as the Son of Man, extending over all those whose baptism plants them in his likeness, Rom. 6. See Stier, ibid.

δικαιοσύνην] requirements of the law. See ch. 6:1, where the sense is general, as here. (Alford, H. (1976). Alford’s Greek Testament: an exegetical and critical commentary (Vol. 1, p. 25). Grand Rapids, MI: Guardian Press.)

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3:15 Why one who needed no repentance should insist upon receiving a rite which signified confession (v. 6) and repentance (v. 11) is nowhere directly explained. It may be suggested: (1) That Jesus was now to receive His anointing with the Holy Spirit (v. 16) unto His threefold office of Prophet, Priest, and King. In the Levitical order (Ex. 29:4–7) the high priest was first washed, then anointed. While Christ’s priestly work did not begin till He “offered Himself without spot to God” (Heb. 9:14), and His full manifestation as the King-Priest after the order of Melchisedek awaits the kingdom (Gen. 14:18, note), yet He was then anointed, once for all. (2) But John’s baptism was the voice of God to Israel, and the believing remnant responded (v. 5). It was an act of righteousness on the part of Him who had become, as to the flesh, an Israelite, to take His place with this believing remnant (Scofield, C. I. (Ed.). (1917). The Scofield Reference Bible: The Holy Bible Containing the Old and New Testaments (p. 997). New York; London; Toronto; Melbourne; Bombay: Oxford University Press.)

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FROM MY READING:

 He submitted to baptism as the divinely appointed way of declaring His interest in and identification with the godly remnant in Israel, who were waiting for His coming. His baptism was a pledge to fulfill every righteous demand of the throne of God on behalf of those who owned their guilt and took the place of repentance before Him. They were like debtors giving their notes to a creditor – acknowledging a debt they could not pay. He, by His baptism, endorsed all their notes and made Himself responsible to pay all they owed. On the cross He settled for all when He endured the baptism of judgment in our place. (June 22, The Continual Burnt Offering by H. A. Ironside)

He submitted to baptism as the divinely appointed way of declaring His interest in and identification with the godly remnant in Israel, who were waiting for His coming. His baptism was  a pledge to fulfill every righteous demand of the throne of God on behalf of those who owned their guilt and took the place of repentance before Him. They were like debtors giving their notes to a creditor – acknowledging a debt they could not pay. He, by His baptism, endorsed all their notes and made Himself responsible to pay all they owed. On the cross He settled for all when He endured the baptism of judgment in our place. (June 22, The Continual Burnt Offering by H. A. Ironside)

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Old Testament WORDS for Today by Warren W. Wiersbe

 The psalmist didn’t have any easy life, but he did have a balanced life as he spent time in the Word, prayed, and gave thanks to God. A friend of mine used to say, “Blessed are the balanced, for they won’t fall on their faces.” If each day we will set aside time for the Word, prayer, and praise, God will do the rest. It’s good to be devoted Bible Students and grow in the knowledge of the Lord, but we must be careful not to stuff our heads and starve our hearts. (p. 102)

But worship is also essential, for when we worship God, we get our eyes off ourselves and our needs and lose ourselves in the grace and glory of the LORD. (p. 102)

Our devotion to the Lord ought to make us better citizens, family members, neighbors, and workers. (p. 103)

He asked God to give him “good judgment and knowledge” (Ps.119:66)as well as a knowledge of the Word. A surrendered life has priorities, we don’t merely choose between good and bad but also between better and best. (p. 103)

Devotion in the heart helps to give direction to the mind and discipline to the will. (p. 103)

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Why it’s hard to love JESUS by   Joseph M. Stowell 

Like the priceless violins, we were deadwood in the swampland of sin until the Master transformed us into instruments of His grace! (p. 94)

Most of us do the same. We measure our sinfulness by counting our sins or by comparing our sins with sins of others. There’s always someone who sins more than we do. And that makes us feel better to have the lower score.

But it’s not the number of sins we commit that offends God. It is the fact that we are sinners who need to be reconciled to God (Ephesians 2: 1- 10).  (p. 97)

The Bible does not call us to love God because we are afraid of Him – but to be in awe of Him and obey Him because we love Him. (p.100)

Today many Christians worship in comfortable, living-room-type churches that when taken to the extreme seem more human-centered than God-centered. (p. 101)

Jerome Miller wrote:

Standing before what I experience as ultimately Sacred, I myself am compelled to acknowledge that in and of myself I am precisely nothing. Before the Sacred, I feel, in and of myself, utterly insignificant, utterly without substance. I cannot take myself seriously. (p. 102)

Any thoughts that upon seeing Him we might hug Him, high-five Him, or bombard Him with a list of nagging theological questions are absurd. Instead, we will be compelled to fall on our face before Him and beg for His mercy. (p.103)

Studies of the wood used in Stradivarius violins do show that microbes lodged in the wood have hollowed out the cells, leaving only their infrastructure. In the hand of Stradivarius, those hollow chambers were transformed from worthless empty spaces into resonating cathedrals of sound. Every pull of the bow released a magnificent strain of music. Stradivarius rescued worthless scraps of wood, hopelessly damaged and drifting, and transformed them into objects of beauty. (p. 104)

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Acts 23
Paul’s first trial before Felix, the governor of the region, is not decisive.
INSIGHT

During World War II there was a popular song with the phrase: “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.” This snatch of verse captures a theme that runs throughout the Bible: Assume human responsibility while relying on the sovereignty of God. Throughout the Bible, men pray and then act. Paul’s arguments are clever and his logic is deft, as though he is relying on himself for his freedom. And yet under it all is a peace, a trust, a confidence that can only be explained by his rest in the Lord whom he serves. Whether his circumstances are good or bad, Paul regards wherever he is as the “world” into which the Lord wants him to go to “preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). (Quiet Walk)

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CHRIST THE PRIEST
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Hebrews 3:1

What are the evidences for saying that Christ is God’s appointed High Priest? Well, it is interesting to observe that there is only one book in the Bible that describes Him directly and explicitly as Priest, and that is, of course, the Epistle to the Hebrews. Hebrews describes Him as such in a number of verses: “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus” (3:1). “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (4:14). “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee” (5:5). “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (6:20). “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (7:26). “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (8:1).
But, of course, in many other places the teaching is implicit–by implication it is there. For instance, listen to our Lord Himself. He said, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). This is also something that is constantly taught by the apostle Paul. In Romans 3:24-25 he says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”
A Thought to Ponder: There is only one book in the Bible that describes Him directly and explicitly as Priest–the Epistle to the Hebrews.

(From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 303-304, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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The Sun
“Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” (Psalm 19:5-6)
This well-loved psalm provides us a glimpse of God’s creative majesty: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge” (vv. 1-2).
Modern science has shown that the universe in which we live is really a tri-universe—a continuum of space/time/energy (or information). Thus, the first two verses of this psalm, by focusing our attention on “the heavens . . . the firmament” (space), “day . . . night” (time), and “speech . . . knowledge” (information/energy), reveal a scientific truth long before its “scientific” discovery.
There is, of course, one created source of energy that typifies this energy. Speaking of space and time, the psalmist claims, “In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun” (v. 4), which is further described in our text verses. The sun is like a bridegroom, fully dressed in wedding garb, radiating joy as he comes forth. It is also like a champion runner, fully able to run the race and gain the victory.
The sun’s energy, radiating out in all directions, not only energizes the earth but the entire solar system as well. Furthermore, it is now known that the sun traverses the galaxy in a gigantic orbit with its energy bathing each part. Truly, “there is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (text verse).
Only the Creator of space, time, and energy—the Creator of the sun, the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and the universe—could have known these things. That Creator, through the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit, is the author of this psalm.

(JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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Grace is favor, kindness, mercy, and compassion to people who do not deserve it but who deserve the exact opposite, people who deserve wrath and punishment. (p. 68)

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When a man realizes the awful price that has been paid for his redemption he will want to be holy; the failure to be holy is due to our failure to understand the price that has been paid. (p. 74)

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If everybody realized that the Son of God sweat drops of blood for their salvation, there would be no need to appeal to anybody to decide for Christ, no need to bring pressure upon people, to tell stories and play upon their emotions. Realizing that he had to go through all that before we could be saved from the wrath of God would be enough. (p. 77)

            (A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Daily Hope

Today’s Scripture    Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 

There is an old statement of “Familiarity breeds contempt”.  While that may be true at times, it is not always the case!  After being away on a trip or doing a new project, I find it comforting and relaxing to come back to the familiar and do the routine schedule.  

Solomon, as he is reflecting about the vanity of life and the struggles that come from the realization of this truth, seems to return to the concrete facts of life.  In the struggles of his thoughts, he returns to seven pairs of unchanging truths that contrast one another and show us that there is a specific time set aside for each event.  These events cannot happen together but all occur under heaven (v.1). 

Solomon’s thoughts seem to return to the foundational truths that are unchanging in life, the beginning and the end of events and relationships.  As Solomon ponders these truths, he sees that to each God-given task in its time there is a point of beauty (vv.10-11).  The reality of this, results in humanity seeing the works of God and ultimately acknowledging His presence. 

While the uncertainty of what the day or week may bring is continually present, Solomon draws the reader to the gift that God gives to man which is His continual presence in our lives.  We can eat, drink, and enjoy the labor of our hands because God has gifted these gifts to us! 

As we begin the work week and all the unknowns that will occur, remember that these seven pairs of phrases are written to remind us that God is in control and the days are a blessing we have from Him (vv.13-15).  Take comfort and courage in the plans He has for us! 

With an Expectant hope,  Pastor Miller

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